The restless scatter of the cherry blossom
by Biribirichan
Summary: Collection of Chihayafuru drabbles, short stories and poems. Chapters 5 up! Reviews are appreciated! Enjoy!
1. The train ride back home

Author's notes: Hi everyone!Sorry I haven't updated my regular stories in a while - the last couple of months were really rough in terms of school and work! Although I haven't updated, I did keep on writing. The manga chapters of Chihayafuru were so heart wrenching that I had to write, even if they were just short stories and poems. The ideas kept on whirling in my mind, like cherry blossom petals, and refused to settle until I put them down in pen and paper. These were all written in a hurry, so it's not my best work, but I hope you'll enjoy them :) Any future Chihayafuru drabbles that I write will also be posted here.

The title of this drabble series was inspired by Poem #33, and the series is dedicated to my friend Kat chan (CalamityKat) because most of them were inspired by her prompts.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in Chihayafuru. Contains spoilers from the manga.

Timeline: After Chapter 138: Taichi's departure from the club

…

Rubbing her eyes, Chihaya looked around the train to find something that would keep her awake. Training the freshmen in her karuta club had been exhausting, and the rhythmic motion of the train was lulling her to sleep. She sighed. There was practically no one on the train! How was she to amuse herself? She briefly wondered why the train ride back from school had felt so empty lately. Was it always like this? She smiled to herself. She wouldn't know, because usually by the time the train pulled out of the station, she was already asleep on Taichi's shoulder.

"Taichi..." Just the thought of his presence beside her felt so comforting. What was is about Taichi that always made her feel so at peace? Was it his calm and collected behavior? Or perhaps it was because she trusted him completely. He _was_ after all the boy who had been by her side all this time…

Chihaya's thoughts began to drift as she felt slumber weighing down on her eyelids. "I'll nap just for a few minutes," she thought, "Surely I won't miss my stop..."

"Baka! How many times have I told you to _not_ sleep on the train when you're by yourself!"

Chihaya bolted upright at the sound of that voice! "Taaaichi! You're here! But, wait! _When_ did you get here? I didn't see you."

Wordlessly Taichi sat down beside her, and made a gesture to put her head on his shoulders. Chihaya hesitated. Something felt wrong. But she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. And what about the confession? Were they okay now? Was he coming back to the club? "Taichi, I -"

"Don't worry about missing your stop, sleepyhead!" Taichi smiled. "I'm here now."

_"I'm here now." _As those words resounded within Chihaya, she could feel her uncertainties being swept away like a tidal wave. What was she hesitating for? Taichi was _there_! He was sitting _right there_! Laying her head in his shoulder, she smiled and thought how the world was how it should have always been...

"RINNNNNG RINNNNNG RIIIIIINNNG!"

The sound of the train door opening jerked Chihaya awake. "Taichi, is this our -"

The words vanished in her mouth as she saw the empty space beside her. She looked around confused. Was I – was I _just_ dreaming_? _As realization hit Chihaya, she felt the tears stinging her eyes. "Don't cry! Don't _cry_!" she chided herself. "At least it was a good dream, and not a nightmare."

When the tears finally came, Chihaya wondered who she was trying to fool. Having a perfect dream in a world that was no longer perfect hurt far more than any pain a nightmare could bring. Chihaya didn't think she'd dare to dream again...

…

Author's notes: Sorry, that this is such a sad piece. I wrote it right after Taichi left Misuzawa, and I saw an image on tumblr where Taichi and Chihaya were sleeping on the train. It totally broke my heart! Suetsugu san really knows how to tug our heart strings. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed! Please rate and review if you did.


	2. Who can I still call my friends

Author's notes: Here's a happier chapter to make up for the previous chapter. Not connected to the manga.

Prompt: Graduation, Inspiration: Poem # 34.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in Chihayafuru

…

"Okay...1,2,3 say cheeseee".

There was a flash of light, and a click of the camera. There were hugs and tears, and promises to keep in touch. And then, in what felt like a millisecond to Chihaya - there was nothing. Three years of high school, three years of playing karuta together had gone in an instant from being the everyday norm to being a happy high school memory. Why did time flow on so relentlessly? It couldn't have been that long when she and Taichi had carried the heavy tatami mats to the club room. Or had it? And she could still remember all their team matches at Omi-Jingu. The colours of their kimono, the sweat on the tatami mats, the unwavering voice of the reader and the cards flying everywhere. How could so much time have passed if she could remember all the details so vividly? How was it that they were already graduating and going their separate ways?

She softly recited: "Tare o kamo..."

"Baka, that's a poem for old people! What are you doing all alone in the clubroom? This is why they call you a beauty in vain!"

"Tha - that's the first thing you told me in high school! And now - and now we're all…" she couldn't speak anymore. The tears that had been threatening to spill all throughout their graduate ceremony rolled down her cheeks in abandon. She could never pretend in front of her childhood friend anyways.

Taichi walked over to her and wiped her tears with the sleeve of his shirt. "You idiot. Tell me has any of us given up on karuta?"

She sniffed. "No - o."

"Well, as long as we all play karuta, we'll keep meeting each other right? Don't be sad, your future is only just beginning!"

Chihaya stared at Taichi for the longest time and wondered how he was always able to make things right for her. How he was never baffled by the kaleidoscope of colors and shapes in her life, but was always able to help her pick out the correct puzzle pieces and fit them perfectly. As she allowed herself to be pulled out of the clubroom by Taichi's outstretched hands, she blushed at the thought of what their future together might hold. They would always have karuta, but she couldn't help but wonder if there would ever be anything more...

…

Thank you for reading! Please rate and review if you liked it! :)


	3. Red and Green

Author's notes: Three poems I wrote after chapter 138, depicting Taichi and Chihaya's thoughts. The first two are based on the manga, and the third one represents my hope for the end. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Chihayafuru. Spoilers from chapter 138 and 139.

…

Title: On the other side of the tracks

Why is she running after me?  
Can't she understand my wish to be free?  
Free from this love, free from this game -  
After this kiss she'll realize that things can never be the same  
I walk away... though I can still hear her calling out my name.

…

Title: The tricks of the mind

"Chihayaaa" - in my ears,  
Your scolding voice I hear,  
As my mind conjures up that face I hold so dear.  
I focus on the game and will the green borders to reappear  
But the cards remain black - my heart knows you're no longer here.

…

Title: Will of the Divine

She noted the restless hands, the shuffling of the feet  
And gazed at the red haired boy standing bowed in front of her usual seat.  
Oblivious to the attention, the boy wondered why he hadn't given up yet,  
The red shrine made him yearn to play - he didn't want to forget.  
The karuta goddess smiled, knowing how this boy's fate had already been set.

…

Hope you enjoyed that! The last poem was very fun to write, because I kept on imagining in my head an encounter between Taichi and the Karuta goddess. Would she would set her heart on Taichi as the next Meijin? :) Please rate and review if you liked!


	4. A bird in hand

Author's notes: Another short piece I wrote after Chapter 138. Although, Chihaya has been shown to be very sad and dis-spirited in the last few chapters, I've always hoped that Chihaya will gain her vibrancy back, and drag Taichi back to the club. This drabble represents my hope for that.

Prompt given: Eyelashes

Disclaimer: I don't own Chihayafuru.

"WAIIIT!"

"Ring ring ring..." The train doors closed and before long the train had pulled out of the station, leaving Chihaya standing on the platform. She clutched tighter at the bag that was clasped in her head. And waited...waited for the person wearing the bag to turn around, waited for the onslaught of anger that was sure to be hurled at her direction.

She didn't have to wait long.

"Chhhihaya! What is the meaning of keeping me from getting on the train?"

Chihaya blinked. Were his eyes always this beautiful? Always brimming with so much emotion? Until late, his face had always been downcast - his eyes had always hidden with those luxurious eyelashes. Until late, he had never really faced her. Well now that he had - shouldn't she face him head on too?

"Well Taichi, you seee..."

...

Hope you enjoyed that! Please rate and review if you liked it! Thank you for reading!


	5. The cherry tree on the mountain slope

Author's note: Dedicated to my friend Kat chan, who's feeling a bit blue! Hope this cheers you up tomo!

Disclaimer: I don't own Chihayafuru!

Title and story inspiration: Poem 66

Timeline: Elementary School, at the start of the manga.

…

"Argh!" Chihaya cried out in frustration as her pencil broke for the third time in a row. It was lunch break, and she was desperately trying to finish her math homework before it was due next period.

"Chihayaa! You're so loud! Why can't you act like a girl for a change?"

Chihaya looked up to see a red haired boy smiling smugly at her. She stuck her tongue out at him. "Go away Taichi! Mind your own business!"

Drawing up his own chair in front of Chihaya's desk, Taichi sat down. "How can I mind my own business with you making such a ruckus? Look! No one in class can eat peacefully with you sighing and snapping every few seconds."

Chihaya looked up to see her classmates chattering away and eating lunch happily. No one was looking at her. She turned to look back at Taichi and snapped, "No one is even paying any attention! Go _away_, Taichi!"

Snatching a pencil from Taichi's adjacent desk, she started working on her homework again. She heard the scraping of Taichi's chair, and looked up to see him walking away to rejoin his friends on the far corner of the classroom.

Chihaya sighed. She felt frustrated! That was not how she had wanted to behave. Taichi was her friend and on any other day she would have treated his teasing as a part of their daily banter. But not today – she didn't quite feel like herself today. She wondered if it was just the difficulty of the homework that was sapping her of her usual good humour. But, while she disliked math in general, it couldn't be the only cause of her irritation - could it?

Her own words kept reverberating inside her, _"No one is even paying attention."_ Unbidden, images of Chitose and her mom came to her mind and she couldn't help but feel sad at how they had waved aside her karuta certificate when she had brought it home last night. She, Taichi and Arata had worked so hard on it! She wished her parents had shown a little enthusiasm... not even that, she'd settle for just a nod of approval and a genuine smile. What was it that Chitose had called karuta? That's right, her older sister thought it was "unspectacular and uncool". She sighed again.

"Oi baka, are you still doing the same problem?"

Taichi was back, holding a pack of karuta cards.

"Why do you have karuta cards, Taichi?"

"Well…" Taichi trailed off.

"Ah! He's trying to cheer me up!" Chihaya thought to herself. She said so out loud.

"Ba-ba-baka! Who'd try to cheer up a gorilla like you?"

Taichi's spluttering was lost on Chihaya. She didn't feel so neglected anymore. Snatching the cards from Taichi, she crowed, "Get ready to lose Taichi!"

"In your dreams, miss-I-can't-even-remember-the-poems!"

Bickering and laughter ensued, and the homework was soon forgotten…until the bell rang for the next period of course!

…

Author's notes: In the latest chapters of the manga, Chihaya crouches down a lot in despair. It reminded me of the time when Chihaya comes back home with her certificate and her parents ignore her. There's a panel where she's crouched outside the door of the room where her family is at. I've always wanted to write a short piece about that. Not sure if I was able to do it justice though! It's hard to write Chihaya, and even harder to write a young Chihaya. As for Taichi I tried to balance his bratty ways as a child with his love/concern for Chihaya. Dunno if I was able to portray that though! Thoughts/reviews on the story and my writing will be much appreciated to help me improve in the future :)

Also here's poem 66, which was the inspiration for the story:

On a mountain slope,  
Solitary, uncompanioned,  
Stands a cherry tree.  
Except for you, lonely friend,  
To others I am unknown.


End file.
